Download or read book The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam written by G. R. Hawting and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1999-12-09 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why and under what circumstances did the religion of Islam emerge in a remote part of Arabia at the beginning of the seventh century? Traditional scholarship maintains that Islam developed in opposition to the idolatrous and polytheistic religion of the Arabs of Mecca and the surrounding regions. In this study of pre-Islamic Arabian religion, G. R. Hawting adopts a comparative religious perspective to suggest an alternative view. By examining the various bodies of evidence which survive from this period, the Koran and the vast resources of the Islamic tradition, the author argues that in fact Islam arose out of conflict with other monotheists whose beliefs and practices were judged to fall short of true monotheism and were, in consequence, attacked polemically as idolatry. The author is adept at unravelling the complexities of the source material, and students and scholars will find his argument both engaging and persuasive.
Download or read book The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam written by Gerald R. Hawting and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Isla written by Gerald R. Hawting and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Study of Polytheism and Idolatry in the Qur an written by Sayyid 'Abbas Sayyid Karimi (Husayni) and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-11-07 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text presents an analysis of polytheism with respect to God and idols, using the Holy Quran as reference. It also studies idolatry with respect to resurrection and refutes that concept logically while explaining the essence of monotheism. This book is one of the many Islamic publications distributed by Ahlulbayt Organization throughout the world in different languages with the aim of conveying the message of Islam to the people of the world. Ahlulbayt Organization (www.shia.es) is a registered Organization that operates and is sustained through collaborative efforts of volunteers in many countries around the world, and it welcomes your involvement and support. Its objectives are numerous, yet its main goal is to spread the truth about the Islamic faith in general and the Shia School of Thought in particular due to the latter being misrepresented, misunderstood and its tenets often assaulted by many ignorant folks, Muslims and non-Muslims. Organization's purpose is to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge through a global medium, the Internet, to locations where such resources are not commonly or easily accessible or are resented, resisted and fought! In addition, For a complete list of our published books please refer to our website (www.shia.es) or send us an email to [email protected]
Download or read book A Study of Polytheism and Idolatry Inthe Qur an written by Sayyid 'Abbas Sayyid Karimi Husayn and published by . This book was released on 2014-09-25 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is one of the many Islamic publications distributed by Talee throughout the world in different languages with the aim of conveying the message of Islam to the people of the world. Talee (www.talee.org) is a registered Organization that operates and is sustained through collaborative efforts of volunteers in many countries around the world, and it welcomes your involvement and support. Its objectives are numerous, yet its main goal is to spread the truth about the Islamic faith in general and the Shia School of Thought in particular due to the latter being misrepresented, misunderstood and its tenets often assaulted by many ignorant folks, Muslims and non-Muslims. Organization's purpose is to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge through a global medium, the Internet, to locations where such resources are not commonly or easily accessible or are resented, resisted and fought! In addition, Talee aims at encouraging scholarship, research and enquiry through the use of technological facilitates. For a complete list of our published books please refer to our website (www.talee.org) or send us an email to [email protected]
Download or read book Reasonable Faith written by William Lane Craig and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2008 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This updated edition by one of the world's leading apologists presents a systematic, positive case for Christianity that reflects the latest work in the contemporary hard sciences and humanities. Brilliant and accessible.
Download or read book The Fundamentals of Tawheed Islamic Monotheism written by Abu Rumasah and published by IslamKotob. This book was released on 1994-01-01 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mythologies of the Prophet Muhammad in Early Modern English Culture written by Matthew Dimmock and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-05-31 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores how the figure of the Prophet Muhammad was misrepresented in English and wider Christian culture between 1480 and 1735. By tracing the ways in which 'Mahomet' was written and rewritten, contested and celebrated, this study explores notions of identity and religion, and the resonances of this history today.
Download or read book Controversies over Islamic Origins written by Mun'im Sirry and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2021-06-21 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What evidence do we have to reconstruct the origins of Islam? On the basis of what sources can the first century of Islam be accessed? Why do historians of early Islam consider the literary sources of Islamic origins to be so problematic? How is the problem of early Islamic history framed? This book addresses these critical questions by discussing various approaches to the problem of reconstructing Islamic origins. In a spirit of welcoming diverse perspectives and encouraging healthy scholarly debate, it explores different, even conflicting modern theories about the emergence of Islam through various case studies, including recent debates on the Qur’an, the biography of the Prophet, and early conquest narratives. A broad spectrum of both traditionalist and revisionist scholarship is critically examined with the purpose of illuminating not only how modern scholars differ, but also what they have in common.
Download or read book The Emergence of Islam written by Muhammad Hamidullah and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Emergence of Islam written by Gabriel Said Reynolds and published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers. This book was released on 2023 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Now in an updated, second edition, Gabriel Said Reynolds tells the story of Islam in this brief illustrated survey, beginning with Muhammad's early life and rise to power, then tracing the origins and development of the Quran juxtaposed with biblical literature, and concluding with an overview of modern and fundamentalist narratives of the origin of Islam. Reynolds offers a fascinating look at the structure and meaning of the Qur'an, revealing the ways in which biblical language is used to advance the Qur'an's religious meaning. Reynolds' analysis identifies the motives that shaped each narrative Islamic, Jewish, and Christian. The book's conclusion yields a rich understanding of diverse interpretations of Islam's emergence, suggesting that its emergence is itself ever-developing"--Publisher description.
Download or read book Idolatry written by Moshe Halbertal and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1998-08-19 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “You shall have no other gods besides Me.” This injunction, handed down through Moses three thousand years ago, marks one of the most decisive shifts in Western culture: away from polytheism toward monotheism. Despite the momentous implications of such a turn, the role of idolatry in giving it direction and impetus is little understood. This book examines the meaning and nature of idolatry—and, in doing so, reveals much about the monotheistic tradition that defines itself against this sin.The authors consider Christianity and Islam, but focus primarily on Judaism. They explore competing claims about the concept of idolatry that emerges in the Hebrew Bible as a “whoring after false gods.” Does such a description, grounded in an analogy of sexual relations, presuppose the actual existence of other gods with whom someone might sin? Or are false gods the product of “men’s hands,” simply a matter of misguided belief? The authors show how this debate, over idolatry as practice or error, has taken shape and has in turn shaped the course of Western thought—from the differentiation between Jewish and Christian conceptions of God to the distinctions between true and false belief that inform the tradition of religious enlightenment.Ranging with authority from the Talmud to Maimonides, from Marx to Nietzsche and on to G.E. Moore, this brilliant account of a subject central to our culture also has much to say about metaphor, myth, and the application of philosophical analysis to religious concepts and sensibilities. Its insights into pluralism and intolerance, into the logic and illogic of the arguments religions aim at each other, make Idolatry especially timely and valuable in these days of dark and implacable religious difference.
Download or read book What is Islamic Art written by Wendy M. K. Shaw and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-10-10 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An alternate approach to Islamic art emphasizing literary over historical contexts and reception over production in visual arts and music.
Download or read book Encyclopaedia Britannica written by Hugh Chisholm and published by . This book was released on 1910 with total page 1090 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.
Download or read book The Founder of Islam Mohammed Mahomet written by MEENACHISUNDARAM.M and published by MEENACHI SUNDARAM. This book was released on 2024-09-05 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This ebook is for knowledge sharing only. Anybody can reuse this. No copyright. TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE. 4 INTRODUCTION.. 9 CHAPTER I: MAHOMET'S BIRTHPLACE. 17 CHAPTER II: CHILDHOOD.. 22 CHAPTER III : STRIFE AND MEDITATION.. 30 CHAPTER IV: ADVENTURE AND SECURITY. 36 CHAPTER V: INSPIRATION.. 43 CHAPTER VI: SEVERANCE. 52 CHAPTER VII: THE CHOSEN CITY. 61 CHAPTER VIII: THE FLIGHT TO MEDINA.. 70 CHAPTER IX: THE CONSOLIDATION OF POWER. 80 CHAPTER X: THE SECESSION OF THE JEWS. 89 CHAPTER XI: THE BATTLE OF BEDR. 96 CHAPTER XII: THE JEWS AT MEDINA.. 107 CHAPTER XIII: THE BATTLE OF OHOD.. 115 CHAPTER XIV: THE TYRANNY OF WAR. 123 CHAPTER XV: THE WAR OF THE DITCH.. 135 CHAPTER XVI: THE PILGRIMAGE TO HODEIBIA.. 145 CHAPTER XVII: THE FULFILLED PILGRIMAGE. 153 CHAPTER XVIII: THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 161 CHAPTER XIX: MAHOMET, VICTOR. 170 CHAPTER XX: ICONOCLASM... 177 CHAPTER XXI: LAST RITES. 185 CHAPTER XXII: THE GENESIS OF ISLAM... 194 ABOUT THE AUTHOR. 203 PREFACE Early Life Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born in Mecca (modern-day Saudi Arabia) in 570 CE into the powerful tribe of Quraysh. His father, Abdullah, died before his birth, and his mother, Amina, passed away when he was six years old. Orphaned at an early age, Muhammad was raised by his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, and later by his uncle, Abu Talib. Despite growing up in a prominent tribe, his early life was marked by modesty and simplicity. Youth and Character As a young man, Muhammad earned a reputation for his honesty and integrity. He was known as "Al-Amin" (the trustworthy) because of his dependable and fair dealings in business. He worked as a merchant for a wealthy widow named Khadijah, who later proposed marriage to him. They married when Muhammad was 25, and Khadijah became his staunch supporter and companion throughout his life. Spiritual Inclination Muhammad had a reflective and spiritual nature, often withdrawing to the Cave of Hira, located near Mecca, for meditation and contemplation. This period of retreat reflected his growing discontent with the social injustices, idolatry, and moral corruption prevalent in Meccan society. He sought a deeper understanding of life and spiritual truths beyond the polytheism practiced by the Meccans. The First Revelation At the age of 40, while meditating in the Cave of Hira during the month of Ramadan, Muhammad received his first revelation through the Angel Jibril (Gabriel). The angel commanded him to "Read" or "Recite" in the name of God, the Creator. These initial words, later compiled into the Qur'an, marked the beginning of Muhammad’s prophetic mission. He was shaken and confused, but Khadijah reassured him, affirming his character and moral standing. Preaching the Message For the next 23 years, Muhammad preached the message of monotheism — belief in one God, Allah. He called for the rejection of idols and condemned the social injustices of Mecca, including the exploitation of the poor and the mistreatment of women and slaves. Initially, his message was met with resistance and ridicule from the Quraysh, who saw it as a threat to their social and economic power. Persecution in Mecca As Muhammad’s following grew, the leaders of Quraysh became increasingly hostile. They persecuted Muhammad’s followers, many of whom were poor and vulnerable, subjecting them to torture, exile, and even death. Muhammad himself was often subjected to mockery and violence. Despite this, he remained steadfast in his mission, preaching patience, perseverance, and faith. The Night Journey One of the most significant events in Muhammad’s life is the Isra and Mi'raj, or the Night Journey, which is believed to have occurred around 621 CE. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night and then ascended to the heavens. There, he encountered various prophets and ultimately stood in the presence of God. This event confirmed Muhammad’s special status as a prophet and strengthened his resolve Migration to Medina (Hijra) In 622 CE, due to escalating persecution in Mecca, Muhammad and his followers were invited by the people of Yathrib (later renamed Medina) to settle there. This migration, known as the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad established a community of believers (ummah) based on Islamic principles, including justice, mutual support, and worship of Allah. Role as a Statesman In Medina, Muhammad took on a new role as both a religious and political leader. He formulated the Constitution of Medina, a groundbreaking document that established the rights and responsibilities of all citizens, including Muslims, Jews, and other groups. This framework helped to create a unified and peaceful society in the multi-religious city, reflecting Muhammad’s skills in diplomacy and governance. The Battles of Badr and Uhud Despite the relative peace in Medina, tensions with the Quraysh of Mecca continued. In 624 CE, the Muslims engaged in the Battle of Badr, where they achieved a surprising victory despite being outnumbered. However, a year later, they faced a setback in the Battle of Uhud, where Muhammad himself was wounded. These battles were pivotal moments in the struggle for the survival of the early Muslim community. Treaty of Hudaybiyyah In 628 CE, Muhammad sought to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but the Quraysh prevented him and his followers from entering the city. After negotiations, both sides agreed to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, a truce that allowed Muslims to return for pilgrimage the following year. This treaty, though initially seen as a setback by some Muslims, eventually proved to be a diplomatic success, as it opened the way for peaceful interaction between Mecca and Medina. Conquest of Mecca In 630 CE, after repeated violations of the truce by the Quraysh, Muhammad led an army of 10,000 followers to Mecca. The city surrendered without bloodshed, and Muhammad, in a remarkable act of mercy, forgave many of his former enemies. He cleansed the Kaaba of its idols, rededicating it as a center for the worship of Allah. The conquest of Mecca marked the pinnacle of Muhammad’s mission, as Islam spread rapidly across the Arabian Peninsula. The Final Sermon During his final pilgrimage to Mecca in 632 CE, Muhammad delivered his Farewell Sermon on the plains of Arafat. In this address, he emphasized the equality of all humans, the sanctity of life and property, and the importance of justice and compassion. He also reminded Muslims of their religious duties, including prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage. His message reinforced the core principles of Islam and served as a final guidance to his followers. Muhammad’s Family Life Muhammad’s family life was a significant aspect of his character. He married multiple wives, most of whom were widows or women in need of protection. His marriages often had social or political significance, helping to strengthen alliances within the Muslim community. His deep affection for Khadijah, his first wife, is particularly noted, as is his love for his daughter Fatimah, who played a prominent role in early Islamic history. The Spread of Islam By the time of Muhammad’s death in 632 CE, Islam had spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula to regions in the Near East and North Africa. His message of monotheism, justice, and compassion resonated with many people, leading to a rapid expansion of the faith. After his death, his companions continued to spread Islam, eventually creating a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Spain to India. Prophet as a Lawgiver Muhammad’s role as a lawgiver is central to his legacy. Through his revelations and teachings, he provided guidelines on everything from religious rituals to social conduct, family life, and governance. The Qur'an, along with his sayings (Hadith), became the foundation of Islamic law (Sharia). His emphasis on justice, charity, and the importance of community continues to influence Muslim societies. Legacy of Mercy and Forgiveness One of the defining features of Muhammad’s character was his emphasis on mercy and forgiveness. Despite the hostilities and challenges he faced, Muhammad repeatedly showed leniency toward his enemies, offering them amnesty and reconciliation. His forgiving nature, especially during the conquest of Mecca, remains a model of leadership and compassion in the Muslim world. Challenges and Struggles Muhammad’s mission was not without its challenges. He faced persecution, exile, and personal loss, including the deaths of several of his children. His life was a testament to patience and perseverance in the face of adversity. His ability to inspire his followers, even during difficult times, was crucial to the survival and growth of the early Muslim community. Influence on Islamic Civilization Muhammad’s teachings laid the foundation for a flourishing Islamic civilization. His emphasis on knowledge and learning encouraged the development of sciences, philosophy, art, and literature in the Islamic world. His vision of a just and ethical society influenced the legal and political systems of various Muslim empires and continues to shape contemporary Muslim societies. Muhammad’s Place in World History As the founder of one of the world’s major religions, Muhammad’s impact on history is profound. He united the Arabian Peninsula under the banner of Islam and laid the groundwork for a global civilization that has lasted for over 1,400 years. His legacy as a prophet, leader, and reformer continues to inspire millions of Muslims worldwide, making him one of the most significant figures in world history. INTRODUCTION The impetus that gave victory to Islam is spent. Since its material prosperity overwhelmed its spiritual ascendancy in the first years of triumph its vitality has waned under the stress of riches, then beneath lassitude and the slow decrease of power. The Prophet Mahomet is at once the glory and bane of his people, the source of their strength and the mainspring of their weakness. He represents more effectively than any other religious teacher the sum of his followers' spiritual and worldly ideas. His position in religion and philosophy is substantially the position of all his followers; none have progressed beyond the primary thesis he gave to the Arabian world at the close of his career. He closes a long line of semi-divine teachers and monitors. After him the curtains of heaven close, and its glory is veiled from men's eyes. He is the last great man who imposed enthusiasm for an idea upon countless numbers of his fellow-creatures, so that whole tribes fought and died at his bidding, and at the command of God through him. Now that the vital history of Islam has been written, some decision as to the position and achievements of its founder may be formulated. Mahomet conceived the office of Prophet to be the result of an irresistible divine call. Verily the angel Gabriel appeared to him, commanding him to "arise and warn." He was the vehicle through whom the will of Allah was revealed. The inspired character of his rule was the prime factor in its prevailing; by virtue of his heavenly authority he exercised his sway over the religious actions of his followers, their aspirations and their beliefs. In order to promulgate the divine ordinances the Kuran was sent down, inspired directly by the angel Gabriel at the bidding of the Lord. Upon all matters of belief and upon all other matters dealt with, however cursorily, in the Kuran Mahomet spoke with the power of God Himself; upon matters not within the scope of religion or of the Sacred Book he was only a human and fallible counsellor. "I am no more than man; when I order you anything with respect to religion, receive it, and when I order you about the affairs of the world, then am I nothing more than man." There is no question of his equality with the Godhead, or even of his sharing any part of the divine nature. He is simply the instrument, endowed with a power and authority outside himself, a man who possesses one cardinal thesis which all those within his faith must accept. The idea which represents at once the scope of his teaching and the source of his triumphs is the unity and indivisibility of the Godhead. This is the sole contribution he has made to the progressive thought of the world. Though he came later in time than the culture of Greece and Rome, he never knew their philosophies or the sum of their knowledge. His religion could never he built upon such basic strength as Christianity. It sprang too rapidly into prominence, and had no foundation of slowly developed ideas upon which to rest both its enthusiasm and its earthly endeavour. Mahomet bears closer resemblance to the ancient Hebrew prophets than to any Christian leader or saint. His mind was akin to theirs in its denunciatory fury, its prostration before the might and majesty of a single God. The evolution of the tribal deity from the local wonderworker, whose shrine enclosed his image, to the impersonal and distant but awful power who held the earth beneath his sway, was Mahomet's contribution to the mental development of his country, and the achievement within those confines was wonderful. But to the sum of the world's thought he gave little. His central tenet had already gained its votaries in other lands, and, moreover, their form of belief in one God was such that further development of thought was still possible to them. The philosophy of Islam blocks the way of evolution for itself, because its system leaves no room for such pregnant ideas as divine incarnation, divine immanence, the fatherhood of God. It has been content to formulate one article of faith: "There is no God but God," the corollary as to Mahomet's divine appointment to the office of Prophet being merely an affirmation of loyalty to the particular mode of faith he imposed. Therefore the part taken by Islam in the reading of the world's mystery ceased with the acceptance of that previously conceived central tenet.
Download or read book The Sacred Gaze written by David Morgan and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-09-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Sacred gaze" denotes any way of seeing that invests its object—an image, a person, a time, a place—with spiritual significance. Drawing from many different fields, David Morgan investigates key aspects of vision and imagery in a variety of religious traditions. His lively, innovative book explores how viewers absorb and process religious imagery and how their experience contributes to the social, intellectual, and perceptual construction of reality. Ranging widely from thirteenth-century Japan and eighteenth-century Tibet to contemporary America, Thailand, and Africa, The Sacred Gaze discusses the religious functions of images and the tools viewers use to interpret them. Morgan questions how fear and disgust of images relate to one another and explains how scholars study the long and evolving histories of images as they pass from culture to culture. An intriguing strand of the narrative details how images have helped to shape popular conceptions of gender and masculinity. The opening chapter considers definitions of "visual culture" and how these relate to the traditional practice of art history. Amply illustrated with more than seventy images from diverse religious traditions, this masterful interdisciplinary study provides a comprehensive and accessible resource for everyone interested in how religious images and visual practice order space and time, communicate with the transcendent, and embody forms of communion with the divine. The Sacred Gaze is a vital introduction to the study of the visual culture of religions.
Download or read book Christian Muslim Relations A Bibliographical History Volume 1 600 900 written by David Thomas and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2009-10-23 with total page 976 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christian-Muslim Relations, a Bibliographical History 1 (CMR1) is the first part of a general history of relations between the faiths from the seventh century to the present. It covers the period from 600 to 1500, when encounters took place through the extended Mediterranean basin and are recorded in Syriac, Arabic, Greek, Latin and other languages. It comprises introductory essays on the treatment of Christians in the Qur'an, Qur'an commentaries, biographies of the Prophet, Hadith and Sunni law, and of Muslims in canon law, and the main body of more than two hundred detailed entries on all the works recorded, whether surviving or lost. These entries provide biographical details of the authors where known, descriptions and assessments of the works themselves, and complete accounts of manuscripts, editions, translations and studies. The result of collaboration between leading scholars, CMR1 is intended as a basic tool for research in Christian-Muslim relations.
